Povilas (Paul) Vaitonis

(1911-83)

International Master (1952)

2011 Canadian Chess Hall of Fame

1958 Represented Canada at Olympiads

1957 Canadian Champion

1954 Represented Canada at Olympiads

1953-5 Wrote chess column, Hamilton Spectator

1952 Awarded International Master title

1952 Represented Canada at World Championship Interzonal

1951 Canadian Champion

1948 Arrived Canada

1944 Lithuania Champion

1942 Lithuania Champion

1939 Represented Lithuania at Olympiads

1938 Lithuania Champion

1937 Represented Lithuania at Olympiads

1937 Lithuania Champion

1936 First player in major competition to use the move order of the Benko Gambit: 

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 (Thorvaldsson-Vaitonis, Munich)

1935 Represented Lithuania at Olympiads

1934 Lithuania Champion

1933 Represented Lithuania at Olympiads

3 times Lithuania pole vault champion

Born Uzpaliai, Lithuania

Sources: "Szachy od A do Z" by Wladyslaw Litmanowicz and Jerzy Gizycki, 

"Wydawnictwo Sport i Turystyka", Warszawa, 1986, 1987 referenced on Wikipedia (biography). 

Contributors (biography): Denis Allan, Valentinas Normantas, Eduardas Rozentalis, Vaitonis family.